Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-12-20

wrong that she had suffered, never yet felt
Inv that geutle and forgiying nature, was ieit
nv il now. She found herself thinking oil Tue
by gone DAYS OF her humiliation almost as
balshly as Henry Westwick had thought Oh
them-shc who had rebuked him the last time /
he had spoken slightingly OF his brother IN
her uresencel A sudden fenr and doubt OF
herself startled her physically rs well as
morally. She turned from the shadowy abyss |
Of the dark water. as II the mystery ana the |
gloom of it had been answerable for the emo
lions which had taken her by surprise,
Abruptly closing the window, she threw aside
her shawl and lit the candles on the mantel-
piece, impelled by n sudden craving Tor light
in the solitude of her room,
The cheering brightness round her contrast
ing with the black gloom outside, restored her
spirits She felt herself enjoying the light
like n child
Would it be well tshe asked HERSELF to get
ready for bodl mol The sense Of drowsy
fatigue that she had felt hnlf an hour since
WINS going. She returned to the dull employ
ment of unpacking her boxes. After few
minutes only the occupation became irksome
10 her onco more She sat down by the table
and tool, up guide book. "Suppose inform
myself she thought "on the subject OF
VENEER
Her attention wandered from tho book be-
fore she had turned the first page OF it.
The image Of Henry Westwick was the
present image in her memory now. Recalling
the minutest incidents and details of the eve
ming, she could think Of nothing which pro
sented him under other than favorable and
interesting aspect. She smiled to herself
softly, her color rose by fine graduation as she
felt the full luxury Of dwelling on the per-
feet truth and modesty Of his devotion to her.
Was tine depression OF spirits from which she
had suffered so persstently on her travels at
tributablo, by any chance, to their long sepa-
ration from each other-imbittered, perhaps,
by her own vain regret when she remembered
her rash reception OF him In Partsi Suddenly
conscious OF this bold question and OF tho self
abandonment which it implied, she returned
mechanically TO her book, startled by tho un-
restrained liberty OF hor own thoughts. What
lurking temptations to forbidden tenderness
find their hiding places In womans dressing
gown, when she is alone in herroom at nightl
With her heart in the tomb of the dead Mont
barry, could Agnes even think of another
| man and think Of Lowell How shameful how
unworthy Of herl For the second time she
| tried to interest herself In tho guide book
md once moro she tried in vain. Throwing
the book aside sho turned desperately to tho
one resource that WINS left, to her Luggage
resolved to fatigue herself without mercy
until she was weary enough and sleepy enough
to find safe refuge in bed.
For some little time she persisted in tho
monotonous occupation OF transferring her
clothes from tho trunk TO the wardrobe. The
large clock in the hail. striking midnight, re-
minded her that it was getting late. She sat
down for moment in an arm chair by the
bedside to rest,
Tho silence in the house now caught her
attention and held it-held it disagreeably.
Was everybody in bed and asleep but hers,lfi
Surely il was timo for her 10 follow the gem
eral examplel With certain irritable,
nervous haste she rose and again undressed
herself. ~ have lost two hours OF rest" sho
thought, frowning at the reflection OF herself
In the glass, as she arranged her hair for tho
night. az shall DO good for nothing to-mor-
roaln
She liz tho night light and extinguish0d the
candles--with one exception, which she no
moved to little table placed on the side Of
tho bed opposite to the side occupied by tfs
arm chair. Having put her travelling box o
! matches and the guide book near the candl
In case she might be sleepless and might wan
to read, she blew out the light and laid he
| head on the pillow.
The curtains OF the bed were looped bacl
10 let the air pass freely over her. Lyisg OF
her left side, with her face turned away from
the table, she could see the arm chair by thI
dim night light 1t had a chintz covering
representing large lunches OF roses sratteret
over a pale green ground. She tried Z
weary herself into drowsineSs by counting
over and over again tho punches Of roses thai
were visible from her point Of view. Twice
her attention was distracted from the count
ing by sounds outside-by the clock Ginning
the half hour past 10; and then again by thu
fall OF n pair OF boots on the upper floor
! thrown out to be cleaned and with that bar
! barous disregard OF the comfort OF other
which Is observable in humanity when it In
habits an hotel In tho silence that followet
, these passing disturbances Agnes went on
counting the roses on the arm chair more and
more slowly. Before long she confused or
self in the llgures-tried to begin counting
again thought she would wait little first
felt her eyelids dropping and her head sink
ing lower and lower on the pillow-sighet
, faintly-and sunk into sleep.
How long that first sleep lasted she mover
knew. She could only remember In th'
after time that she woke Instantly.
Every faculty and perception in her passe,
the boundary line between insensibility aN'
consciousness, so to speak, at leap. with
out knowing why sho sat up suddenly In tL
bed, listening for she knew not what Ho
, head was in vhirl; her heart beat furiously
without any Gssignable cause. But on
trivial event had happened during the inter
val while she had been asleep. The nigh
, light had gone out, and tho room, as matte
OF course, was In total darkness.
She felt for the match box, and pause'
after finding 1t. A vague sense Of confusion
was still in her mind. She wns In no hurr!
to light the match. The pause in the dark
ness was, strangely enough, agreeable to her
In the quetor flow OF her thoughts durini
this interval sho could ask herself tho natura
, question: What cause had awakened her 5
! suddenly, and had so strangely shaken he
; newest Had it been the influence OF q dream
She had not dreamed at all--or, TO spea
more correctly, she had no waking remen
brance of having dreamed. The mystery wa
beyond her fathoming; the darkness began 3
Cypress her. She struck the match on tn
box and lit her candle.
As tho welcome light diffsIsed over the room
she turned from the table and looked towar'
the other side Of tho bed.
In the moment when she turned the chill o
;, a sudden terror gripped her round the heart
as with the clasp of an icy hand
: She was not alone In her roomi
Therein tho chair at tho bedside-there
suddenly revealed under the flow Of ligh
! from tho CANDLE was the figure of q womal